Is there a free online resource for reviewing elementary school curriculum for California? Any homework help sites with core concepts & how to teach?

In helping my daughter with her homework (particularly worksheets that don't have clear instructions), I'm noticing that I don't have enough information from the teacher to guide or educate my daughter on why the right answer is the right answer. I know it's the right answer, and I try explaining it to my daughter, but in some cases, this only leads to frustration.

I've asked the teacher for more info about how she is teaching the math and reading concepts in class, and to provide better quality worksheets (that have clearer explanations of the assignment), to no avail. Also, in the parent-teacher conference, she said that homework assignments are a review of a previous week's lesson and the child should already know the lesson, that the homework is really just reinforcing concepts, not teaching them. But I'm finding that in some cases, my daughter doesn't recall all of the information the teacher taught in class, and in other cases, my way of solving the problem is different than the teacher's way of teaching how to solve the problem (which leads to "But that's not how Ms. X said to do it!" and "I don't get it!").

Is there a free online resource I can turn to to review curriculum concepts and methodology for elementary school in California? Or do you have any other tips for explaining reading and math concepts while helping a child with homework? Thanks for any suggestions you can offer!

Expert

What the Expert Says:

You may look at www.cde.ca.gov and check the K-12 Academic Standards and Frameworks. These are presented for each core academic area. The best place to look for professional development assistance or information on how to teach the curriculum standards would be the local county offices of education. All of them offer training and most of the time it is free. Some colleges and universities may have incorporated this information into their course work also.